1. Field of the Invention
An auxilliary fluid power system for use with a prime mover such as an internal combustion engine to selectively boost or retard the power of the prime mover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically vehicular prime movers employ indirect braking; that is, wheel braking to control deceleration. Of course, these wheel braking structures are by their very function subject to serious wear. Such wear reducing the effectiveness of the braking systems. Such reduced effectiveness endangering the vehicular traffic.
Various supplemental or auxilliary systems have been developed to aid such wheel braking systems. Often these systems are coupled to the main drive train to act directly on the prime mover. Use of compressed air or exhaust gasses in these systems is common. Unfortunately these systems are generally of limited capacity and effectiveness. Further many such structures are complicated and structurally elaborate.
Other supplemental or auxilliary systems have been devised to boost the output power of the main drive train of the prime mover. As in the braking systems, such structures are generally complicated and of limited effectiveness.
More elaborate structures have been developed which attempt to combine the brake and boost functions of the two independent systems. These combined structures are inherently more complicated and prone to mechanical malfunctions. As a result any engineered advantages are often outweighted by the difficulties and expense of operational maintenance and repair.